If you are a cricket fan from the 90s, then you certainly must be familair with the cameo played by Matthew Hayden with his small buddy, “The Mongoose Bat.”
Although the bat existed in cricket, it was Hayden who made the mongoose bat famous.
Standing out with its short blade and long handle, this bat soon found itself in the limelight. Hayden played one of the greatest innings in IPL history, scoring 93 off just 43 balls against the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals).
The Mongoose bat received much attention and broke the silence in the cricket fraternity while at the same time raising issues on whether it is legal, feasible, and the future of technological advancement in Cricket.
This article is an ode to the long lost and forgotten mongoose bat that was last seen in the hands of Matthew Hayden. Today, we will dive into the question of what happened to mongoose bats?
Watch: Matthew Hayden use Mongoose bat in IPL
During the 2010 IPL, Hayden of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) brought the Mongoose bat into the limelight. Its most conspicuous feature was the reduced blade, which was about 33% smaller than the conventional cricket bat with a longer handle.
This novelty was to provide the batsman with additional hitting power, particularly during forward and aggressive shots. His endorsement of the Mongoose bat brought it into the limelight, and people started learning about it all around the world.
Hayden was one of the leading players in world cricket at the time, and therefore, using the bat in crucial matches created a lot of interest among the followers of the game and even the opponents. Some people were looking forward to using the bat and seeing if it would really provide the added power.
Matthew Hayden smashed 93 runs using the Mongoose against Delhi Daredevil in a league game. This inning of his became one of the most memorable moments of IPL. People found it funny that Hayden, who was already a man of great muscle and might, could use the funny-looking bat to generate so much power.
Mr. IPL, Raina remembered this knock as one of the best he had ever witnessed. The media followed suit, and the Mongoose bat was hailed as the new weapon for power play in the T20 format of the game. Not even CSK captain MS Dhoni was immune to the appreciation of the innings, despite his initial reluctance towards the new bat.
Is It Legal To Use A Mongoose Bat In Cricket?
However, with the increasing buzz, several cricket fans were keen to know whether the Mongoose bat was legal according to the laws of Cricket. The MCC, which is the custodian of the laws of Cricket, has set down some parameters in relation to the cricket bat, and the most important ones are the dimensions of the blade part of the bat in terms of length, width, and profile.
The Mongoose bat, however, had an unconventional shape, and all its dimensions were within the legal specifications, thus making it legal. The short blade and the long handle, which might have looked quite strange, adhered to the allowable standards. In short, Mongoose bat is completely legal to be used in cricket.
However, its legal aspect did not stop controversies from brewing within the cricket fraternity. Some thought that the bat provided an unfair edge to the big hitters, as they could easily launch even reasonable deliveries to the boundary. Others wondered whether the Mongoose could be incorporated into the game on a more permanent basis and what impact it would have on the game beyond the realm of big hitting.
Cricketers Who Have Used the Mongoose Bat
Though Matthew Hayden is the most prominent personality who has used the Mongoose bat, he was not the only one who did. Some foreign players also tried it out, here is a list:
Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina, renowned as “Mr. IPL,” played for Chennai Super Kings and India. He briefly experimented with the mongoose bat during the 2010 IPL season, following his CSK teammate Matthew Hayden’s lead. Raina used the bat in a few matches, including a game against Delhi Daredevils where he scored a quick-fire 49 off 34 balls.
Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds, the late Australian all-rounder, was a powerhouse in cricket’s shorter formats. Known for his hard-hitting batting, athletic fielding, and useful bowling, Symonds was a game-changer.
Following the example of his teammate Hayden, he tried the mongoose bat during the 2010 IPL while playing for the Mumbai Indians. Although he didn’t use it extensively in matches, Symonds was seen practicing with the bat, generating significant media interest due to his reputation as a big-hitter.
Stuart Law
Stuart Law, the former Australian cricketer, became involved with promoting cricket equipment. He was one of the early advocates for the mongoose bat, using it in exhibition matches and promotional events around 2009-2010. Law’s involvement lent credibility to the bat, given his reputation as a technically sound batsman.
Marcus Trescothick
Marcus Trescothick, is a former English opener who employed the mongoose bat while playing for Somerset in English domestic T20 matches during the 2010 season, including a notable innings of 78 off 32 balls against Hampshire.
FAQs
Who used mongoose bat in IPL?
Matthew Hayden of Chennai Super Kings was the man who used and popularized the bat in Indian Premier League. His inning of
